The Eternal's Holy Days.
The Eternal's Holy Days: Perpetually Binding.
What are the ETERNAL's appointed times for worship?
As the Giver and Sustainer of all life, it is the ETERNAL's right to receive worship from His created beings. As the receiver of that worship, it is also His right to set apart certain days as holy days.
Scripture calls these times for worship "feasts" and "holy convocations." They are all listed in Leviticus 23, beginning with the weekly feast, the seventh-day Sabbath:
(Leviticus 23:1-3)[1] (KJV) 1And the ETERNAL spoke to Moses, saying, 2Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the ETERNAL, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts. 3Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the ETERNAL in all your dwellings'.
The weekly Sabbath is not the only time appointed to worship the Creator. In addition to the seventh-day Sabbath, there are other worship days which are also called "holy convocations." (Leviticus 23:1-44) lists them all:
• The Weekly Sabbath
• The Passover Feast
• The Feast of Unleavened Bread
• The Wave Sheaf Offering
• The Feast of Day Of The Firstfruits
• The Feast of Trumpets
• The Day of Atonement
• The Feast of Tabernacles
(Leviticus 23:4) (KJV) These are the feasts of the ETERNAL, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.
No difference is made in Scripture between the weekly feast, and the yearly feasts. All are the ETERNAL's appointed times for worship. The word translated "feast" comes from the Hebrew word Mo'ed: (Strong's #H4150), which is used in a broad sense for all appointed times, at the appointed places, for the appointed meetings. It was closely associated with the tabernacle itself. The ETERNAL met Israel there at specific times for the purpose of revealing His will, and communing with His people.
The feasts, as annual worship days, are to be observed throughout time and eternity. Like the weekly Sabbath, the yearly festivals are times appointed for worship. The ETERNAL stated that the observance of the feasts is to be "a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings". (Leviticus 23:14, Leviticus 23:21, Leviticus 23:31, Leviticus 23:41).
But the people greatly feared the ETERNAL, and trembled at the sound of His Voice. So they asked Moses to propose that the ETERNAL speak only to him, and then he would tell the people what the ETERNAL had said:
(Deuteronomy 5:24-27) (KJV) 24And ye said, Behold, the ETERNAL our SOVEREIGN hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that the ETERNAL doth talk with man, and he liveth. 25Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the ETERNAL our SOVEREIGN any more, then we shall die. 26For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living SOVEREIGN speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27Go thou near, and hear all that the ETERNAL our SOVEREIGN shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the ETERNAL our SOVEREIGN shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.
The ETERNAL agreed to the proposal. His response to the people's request ties the laws He spoke through Moses with the law He spoke directly to the people:
(Deuteronomy 5:29-32) (KJV) 29O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! 30Go say to them, Get you into your tents again. 31But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it. 32Ye shall observe to do therefore as the ETERNAL your SOVEREIGN hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
The ETERNAL gave unto Moses the statutes which Moses, in turn, repeated to the people. However, the ETERNAL's intent was that the statutes be always kept as part of the divine law.
The ETERNAL's commandments, statutes and judgments are frequently linked in Scripture with the admonishment to keep and obey them:
(Psalms 19:7-11) (NKJV) 7The law of the ETERNAL is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the ETERNAL is sure, making wise the simple; 8The statutes of the ETERNAL are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the ETERNAL is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9The fear of the ETERNAL is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the ETERNAL are true and righteous altogether. 10More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.
The divine law was given for the good of all peoples. In Scripture, the ETERNAL commands everyone to keep all of His law:
(Ezekiel 20:11-13) (KJV) 11I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, which, if a man does, he shall live by them. 12Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the ETERNAL who sanctifies them. 13But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.
(Ezekiel 20:19-20) (KJV) 19I am the ETERNAL your CREATOR; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; 20And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the ETERNAL your CREATOR.
The sign between the ETERNAL and His people is the keeping of all of the divine law, which includes the annual festivals. There can be no separating the 10 Commandments from the statutes that explain them. They are all the divine Law. They are to be forever. Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, forcefully stated:
(Deuteronomy 4:2) (KJV) You shall not add unto the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the ETERNAL your SOVEREIGN which I command you.
Dividing worship days, saying that the weekly Sabbath must be kept, but not the yearly feasts, is taking from the divine law. Scripture clearly combines statute law and the commandments: both are integral parts of the divine law which is perpetually binding on all peoples throughout all time:
(Ecclesiastes 3:14) (KJV) I know that, whatsoever [the ETERNAL] doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and [the ETERNAL] doeth it, that men should fear before Him.
The happiness of all created beings is bound up with the keeping of the divine Law. As a loving Father, the ETERNAL gave His law so that His children would be healthy and happy:
(Deuteronomy 6:1-3) (KJV) 1Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the ETERNAL your CREATOR commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: 2That thou mightest fear the ETERNAL thy CREATOR, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the ETERNAL SOVEREIGN of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
As the Creator, the ETERNAL has laid down laws that are for the good and happiness of all His creatures. Statutory law, which expounds upon the 10 Commandments, is still to be observed. Honor your Creator by worshipping Him on ALL of His appointed times: weekly and annual worship days. Stand for the truth and, by your example of obedience, show forth the praises of your Redeemer.
(Psalms 119:47-48) (KJV) 47I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. 48My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.
Finally, to review the two most important commandments of all, Moses summed it up this way:
Keep My Commandments; Do Not Worship Other 'Gods'.
(Deuteronomy 30:10-20) (KJV) 10If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the ETERNAL thy CREATOR, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the ETERNAL thy CREATOR with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 11For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. 15See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 16In that I command thee this day to love the ETERNAL thy CREATOR, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the ETERNAL thy CREATOR shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 17But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other mighty ones ['gods'], and serve them; 18I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20That thou mayest love the ETERNAL thy CREATOR, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the ETERNAL sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
We [present day Israelites] can and must repent of worshiping 'gods' which the fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, did not know (i.e. a dead man [false idol], hanging on a wooden cross). Shouldn't you obey the Laws and Commandments the ETERNAL CREATOR, and SOVEREIGN of the universe has given you, the way He wants you to obey them? Willfully, cheerfully, with all your heart, and all your soul? With love and respect for all He has done, and is doing for you?
Or Should you continue to obey the church in Rome, and her proselytising daughters with their so called [New Testament]™ 'savior' and his lying [apostles, deciples, ministers, priests, deacons, popes, etc.], not to mention the 'self-proclaimed' apostle Paul, with his 'baal' worshiping, polytheistic 'multi-godhead' trinitarian opinions, telling you that you have been set free from the Law, and that all you have to do now is believe? Really? Is that all you have to do? Think about it.
Footnotes:
[1] [a]All scriptural links point to the Bible Gateway, A Searchable Online Bible In Over 100 Versions And 50 Languages, located at "BibleGateway.Com", a vast biblical resource containing all the major texts and reference materials useful for in-depth bible studies. Most scriptual quotations are from the (KJV) of the Bible, however versions noted in (parentheses) should also be consulted. [b]All Strong's scriptural references point to the Blue Letter Bible Lexicon, located at "BlueLetterBible.Org", another vast biblical resource which has over 4,000,000 links available, pointing to more than 165,000 pages of concordances, lexicons, dictionaries, commentaries, images, and several Bible versions.